Reader Question: What to do if you are contacted by several managers?

How do you decide? How do you handle saying ‘no’ diplomatically?

Reader question from Paul:

Hi Scott,

Say you place in a screenplay competition and you start receiving contact from managers. How do you say no without burning bridges? You can’t sign with everyone, yet you would like to keep a good relationship. Should you wait for the manager that you had on your dream list or just go with whoever contacts you? On a similar note, there might be producers who want to option with little or no money (or write on spec one of their ideas), but you don’t really want to do that.

Paul, you ask three good questions: (1) The diplomacy of interviewing several managers and settling on one. (2) Deciding between a ‘big’ manager or a boutique manager. (3) Writing a script on spec with a producer attached.

Let me focus on the second question and I’ll provide quick responses at the end of this post on the other two concerns.

How to choose a manager if you have more than one vying for you as a client. Great problem to have. My advice:

• Do due diligence in terms of research. Get online and check out the management company. Who do they represent? Does the client list align with your interests? Are the writer-clients active in the business or not? How has this prospective manager fared in the spec script market? [Check out The Definitive Spec Script Deal List 1991–2016, focusing on the last 2–3 years in my annual Spec Script Analysis posts.] If you know anybody in the movie and TV business, reach out to them to vet the management outfits under consideration. If you don’t know anyone working in Hollywood, there are a variety of online message boards you can visit to see what other writers have to say.
• Spend time reflecting about your goals as a writer and what your priorities are. Do you want to work full-time as a screenwriter? TV writer? Are you willing to relocate to Los Angeles? Do you want to work in one genre or write projects across the genre spectrum? Are you more of a ‘I work alone’ kind of writer or do you feel like you could use a lot of feedback and support from your rep? Do you generate a lot of original ideas to write or are you more interested in focusing on Open Writing Assignments (OWA’s)?
• Listen to what they say very closely. Resist the instinct when nervous — and when talking with a manager or agent for the first few times, you WILL be anxious—to chatter. As my first agent advised me, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.” LISTEN. Hear what each manager and/0r agent has to say. Here’s an important tip: Do they spend their time pitching you or asking you about who you are, what you’re interested in, what your goals are. In general, you want someone who does the latter because they will have gotten more of a sense of who you are.
• Ultimately you have to listen to your gut. The relationship has to feel right. If it doesn’t, if you can peer past your rationality and logic to determine where you are emotionally re your prospective reps, don’t discount your feelings. Oftentimes our gut is our best asset in the decision-making process.

As to big company vs. boutique outfit: While big agencies or management outfits may have a lot of clout, they may not necessarily be your best bet. Why? They may tend to service their established and important clients more than you. Whereas a boutique company may have more invested in you and work harder on your behalf. There’s no rule, no gold standard. See the steps detailed above and good luck.

NOTE: You can always change reps, so it’s not like it’s a lifetime ‘marriage’. So if you do make a mistake in your choice, you can rectify that.

Re the diplomacy of interviewing several managers and settling on one: That’s easy. Don’t be a dick. Reps understand they are going to win some client battles, lose others. As long as you’re upfront about it and a human being, you should have no problem when passing on one or more managers or agents.

NOTE: Some reps will be pissed no matter what. That’s just the nature of people, attitudes and responses vary. But again, if you’re a mensch in how you handle interactions with managers and agents, thankful for the time and consideration they gave you, and honest about your decision, my guess is most of the time, the reps you don’t choose will be cool with you. If they aren’t, hopefully things work out with the rep you chose. If not, there are PLENTY of other managers out there beyond the ones you will have interfaced with.

Re writing a script on spec with a producer attached: This is not an issue just for aspiring screenwriters, established writers will sometimes spec a script with a producer attached. Obviously you want to get paid for your effort and you don’t want to get in the habit of working on one spec project after another. But generally speaking, whether you are an aspiring screenwriter or someone who has broken into the business and working in Hollywood, it’s always a good idea to write at least 1–2 spec features a year. You not only create content which can sell, get optioned, or at the very least land you meetings, you also will improve at the writing craft.

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